Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-16
A Department Of Interesting
Reading for the Lit
tie Ones.
FUN, FhCTS, AND FANCIES.
A Story of Little Tommy's Resolution Not
to GO to School, and Hov His
Mother Fooled Him.
Tommy Went Back to School.

lmph! ! am A-SOm TO study
n,lch. il school does begin Monday,
said Tommy Jenkins at the end OF hi:
long vacation; aI'm goin' to have pea
nnts all shelled, and eat 'em whe1
teacher isn't lookin', and I'm goin' tc
do lots o things to make the other boys
laugh, and I'm goin to act so teacher'l
have to send me home, then ] won'
have to go to school any more; chez
hee, won't that be fun!" and a pair O
boyish heels went up into the air Us
Tommy threw himself back on the sofa
and chuckled at what he thought very
smart speech.
Susie, who was years wc
years younger than Tommy, looked a
little shocked at first, but when Tommy
laughed SO gaily she laughed, too then
she said:
yes, but what will mamma say to
such things, and papa? Oh, papa II
be dreadful sober, and say, My little
SOM in that way that always makes me
cry right out wheu hs says, "My little
daughtcr"
"Oh, mamma, @-l be kinder sorry at
first, said Tommy Llandly, "but she
will get over it pretty soon, and as to
papa, oh, I'd make it all right with
papa when / told him how q Teller
hates to study" and Tommy thrust his
thumbs into the armholes Of his blouse
and tried to whistle.
Fortunately, mamma was in the hall.
and just about to enter the room wher
Tommy began his smart remarks, and
so heard every word the children said.
She went quickly back upstairs. and
neither Tommy nor Susie suspected
she had heard !, word.
But, just as their mother expected
would be the case, when bedtime was
approaching that night Tommy began
asking for a story, and Susie put down
her dolly to help Tommy tease for what
they both liked 80 much, one of their
mammals nice stories. Papa was over
10y the table reading, but his face was
behind the paper, and the children
knew the sound of mammals voice
would not disturb him at ALL
$50, after Tommy had seated HIM
self on an ottoman with his hands in
his mammals lap, and Susie was nestled
close beside her, mamma began:
"Once upon time there was fine
looking young man who w;ss very I'M
fortunate, and very much to be pitied.
He had good manners, and also had
the appearance of having been we'll
brought up; but the trouble was, he
was not faithful in anything When
he first went into town and tried to
find work he would generally succeed
in getting something to do in a store,
perhaps, and for q little while he
would seem to do very we'll, but it was
never long before those who had en-
ployed him would lind that he was not
to be trusted, SO he would be Obliged
to leave and try to find some other
place of employment.
The time would come when every
one in the town would know all about
him, and he would have to go some
where else and begin all over again tt
Try finding work by which to feed him
self. This was not at all q happy life
TO lead, for Of course he had no settled
home, no friends in particular, and bu
very little money, sometimes moi
enough to buy things he really needed
Besides all this there was no kline
Of business he could engage in excep
the very simplest, because he had never
learned how to do the things
which bring in money to any amount
and are what we call profitable. Dom
you think he must have felt very badly
when he thought of his boyhood ant
his comfortable home and kind par
ents?"
Did he ever have nice home ant
parents 2" asked Tommy.
Certainly, just as nice home a
you have, and just IS kind parents. ="
Then why didn't they teach hin
things, and send him to school?
asked Tommy, his great blue eyes wide
open.
oh they did," said msmma. "Hf
was always carefully dressed III tn
neatest clothes. provided with the bes
Of food, and watched over as tenderly
as you are through his boyish years
and every day he was sent with nj
little sister to one Of the finest schools
Chen why didn't he learn and grow
up to be faithful young man, and nave
:; home and some money, and lots
!riends?" asked Interested Tommy.
We'll, that is q very sad thing tx
seIl about" answered mamma, speak
Jug very slnnIv Nl{ut the trouble IS